|

|

12GB PS3s coming to the US, $199 price point rumored

It appears Sony is readying a new budget PS3. The 12GB PS3 Super Slim, already available in Europe, is making its way to the US.

The budget system has been priced at $199 in Canada. However, Engadget received a tip from a US retailer saying that the budget console will be available Stateside as well.

Last year, SCEA's John Koller said that the 12GB model wouldn't see release in America due to its inability to take advantage of digital distribution. "The smaller Flash drive isn't coming to North America, and a lot of that reason is the digital consumer," Koller said. "We really want to make sure, out of the box, that there is an option for them to be able to download that content. That is really critical for us, very very important." Crucially, PlayStation Plus would be rather ineffective on such a small amount of space.

Last year, we suggested Sony release a budget PS3 as soon as possible. However, $199 doesn't sound attractive enough. A GTA5 bundle, which includes a 500GB system and a copy of the game ($60), will be available for only $270.